


Frozen by the River

by Angellovemusic8



Category: Bleach
Genre: Break Up, Character Development, Developing Relationship, F/M, Gin’s alive, Heartbreak, Jealousy, Long-Term Relationship(s), Misunderstandings, Multi, Out of Character, Possessive Behavior, Pregnancy, Sexual Content, Taller Toshiro Hitsugaya, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, character injury, cursing, relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-13
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-01-22 19:57:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 15,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12489640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angellovemusic8/pseuds/Angellovemusic8
Summary: Many people do not know the past of one Captain of the Tenth. A lot of people believe Momo Hinamori was the only one who knew his past. It was believed that for the longest of time until people became aware of the young captain's best friend Manami Takeda. They shared a lot of memories both good and bad. This is their story how a strong friendship form between them.





	1. Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An introduction to a binding friendship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to make some chances, by some I mean plot change.

It was a snowy night, the date was February 13 on a Thursday. The only thing that was heard in the silent night was a women painful scream as she was directed to push by the midwife. Her husband tried to calm his wife, but labor was painful for the first timer.

In another room, in the same house, was a woman with shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair. The woman was holding an almost two-month-old child, with white hair and the most beautiful turquoise eyes that were currently hidden by his eyelid. Her own husband was next to her as the child slept soundly, even with the ruckus.

She was concerned for her longtime friend. A friend she met in the academy to become a soul reaper.

Outside a blizzard form, preventing any of them from leaving the home.

The fire kept the people warm although she herself was fine being an ice welder.

"Hana, what's wrong, my love." A voice broke the silence.

"I'm worried about Akane, can she handle it," Hana spoke up her concern to her husband.

"She's strong, of course, she will." He reassures his wife.

Hana smiled at the baby in her arms squirm. His eyes open and he stared at the woman. He tilted his head slightly before he blinked.

She smiled, "oh, Toshiro's awake." She spoke.

Akane was breathing hard as she pushes what she hopes will be the last time because she can't take it anymore and all she wanted to do was quite right now. She has been doing this for a day and a half and she felt no progress at all.

Surprisingly she felt the crown of her baby and she started to have hope again. Maybe this will be over.

One more push and the pain was over. A baby cries were heard.

"And it's a girl." The midwife, that was helping her through this, said.

"Time?" One of the midwives asked.

"12 am on Friday, February 14." Said another.

"Weight 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) and height 45.6 cm (1'6 ft)." Another said.

Akane smiled it was over. Her child was born on a holiday, of course, the most romantic holiday of all.

They recorded information and check the vials of both mother and daughter.

Eito left the room to retrieve Hana and Jun. He saw them looking at their baby, Toshiro. Born about two months prior to the 20th.

They turn when the heard the footstep and the door opening.

"Want to meet my daughter." He suggested.

They both got up, with Hana making sure she was holding her baby right.

In the room, Akane was holding a sleeping bundle, with a purple blanket and hat. A blanket and hat that represents royalty. Akane smiled softly. She, herself, used to be from a clan. A clan she left for love. She was disowned by her family's clan and was a traitor for wanting to marry a commoner . Her parents wanted to gain more power and wanted her to have an arranged marriage, with the heir of the Sekiko Clan. The thing was, now nobles were allowed to court who they wanted with a long year courtship. Her family disagreed with that and thought of it would lessen the Clan's reputation. She wanted to marry Eito but her family disproved and made her choose. She chose love over status. This caused her banishment from going back to the clan and her sister, like a good follower, took over the throne and married the man she was supposed to marry.

"What's her name?" Hana interrupted her thoughts. A bright smile form as she thought of it.

"Manami for love and beauty."

"It suits her, Akane." Hana softly spoke as not wake the two sleeping children.

Hana looked at the child, but she didn't get much on her appearance.


	2. Cuts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Manami gets hurt, but is it just a simple cut or is it more to it?

Two small children play out in the backyard. A girl, with long brown hair that reaches to her waist, falls down and cuts her knee. A slash forms and blood dribbles out of the cut and pour into her legs. Her deep sky blue eyes start to tear up as some escapes her eyes. Immediately she clutches her bleeding knee, sobbing while at it.

"Toshi...." she manages to speak while sobbing.

The boy, Toshiro, stops running at the sound of a distress Mana. He turns around to see Mana on the ground clutching her bleeding knee. He runs to her and went to her eye level.

"It's okay Mana...shhh....everything will be fine. Come on stop crying....it's just a cut....you'll be just fine." He reassures her. She smiled at the reassurance her best friend gave. He bends down picking up the young three-year-old.

Taking her to her house, the young girl has finally calmed down, but tears still spilled out.

"Akane" Toshiro yelled through the house.

Akane, walked to the door to see Toshiro carrying her daughter in his arm and blood trickling down her legs. She rushed to the two and takes her daughter.

"Mommy, it hurts" Manami whines. She has never been hurt before this.

Akane looks at her daughter cut and immediately tend to the cut. Akane heals her with kido from the time when she was still a soul reaper in the fourth division under Unohana leadership. After finishing healing her daughter and reassuring her everything was going to okay, she notices a mark stain her daughter normally rosy skin. She looked closer and saw three marks on her skin. Akane eyes widen in horror as she realized what the mark was. A mark of a hollow. Her biggest fear, a hollow taking her child away from her, almost came true. Akane calms down immediately trying not to alarm the two children.

Later that night

Akane and Hana talk among themselves as they wait for the husband to return from trying to find the hollow that has attack Manami earlier. They were confused, knowing the hollow didn't do anything to the two children. 

Earlier That day

Two small children play out in the backyard. When a hollow, who was close by, came up to the two young children. The hollow grabbed out to the closest, a young girl, with long brown hair that went slightly past her waist. The young girl. caught out surprise, falls down and cuts her knee on a rock underneath her. The young girl starts crying getting the boy's attention.

The hollow started to creep up on the girl when a spiritual pressure appears from another direction. The hollow prefers people who have more spiritual pressure. Sure these kids did have spiritual pressure, it just wasn't that much. Not as much as what the hollow was sensing. The hollow quickly left the two alone, no longer caring about the two easy prey. There was someone else much better out there waiting for him to consume their soul.


	3. Tree House and Disappearing Kids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eito and Jun builds a tree house and Toshiro and Manami disappears.

Two years after the hollow incident, Jun and Eito decided to build the kids a tree house. They were in town to get material for the tree house. Toshiro and Manami were playing with the other kids in the Rukongai.

"Toshiro over here!"

"No over here!"

Toshiro looked around when he notices one of the players from the other team tried to sneak up on him, he then kicks the ball backward, then with quick moves retrieves the ball and pass it to Juro. Juro makes a goal and a loud whoop can be heard. Toshiro laughs slightly before shaking his head, classic Yoshi. Manami tilted her head back, laughing.

"Yoshi, as always." She said as she leans into another girl and whispers in her ear. Both girls giggle, before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Hey, ladies, what's so funny?" Yoshi said.

"Nothing," Runa responded. Before Yoshi could interrogate, Eito and Jun came out of the store with the supplies they need to build a tree house.

"Toshiro, Manami lets go" Jun called for the kids.

Yoshi sighed, he really wanted to know what they laughed about.

Both Toshiro and Manami waved at the kids and went on there way.

Toshiro and Manami live right next to each other just outside the little town. The families wanted privacy from the other people in the district of Junrinan.

After they got home, the two kids decided to busy themselves with playing in the woods, in the backyard of their homes. The woods consist of many trees and most known is the cherry blossom. The place they lived had a beautiful view of the mountains, a stream, and a bathing pond. The outside consists of many decorations that the ladies decided to make the exterior look spectacular, they might have overdone it, but who cares.

Both men started the long project of building the young kids a tree house since the kids love to be in the trees or anything high. This caused the mothers to worry too much.

Speaking about the mothers, they were in town treating themselves. They haven't really gotten a break.

Meanwhile, Toshiro and Manami were running around, chasing one another. Both laughing hard to the point they have to stop to catch a breath.

The fathers chuckle and smiled. Those two were inseparable, always needed the other. Growing up together, they couldn't be apart too long, the parental learned this the hard way when they tried to separate them as babies. The two cried until they were back to being together. The two did everything together ate, played, sleep, even bathed together. They were kids so it wasn't that bad. The only problem was explaining why the had different body anatomy. The two were smart but together they were pure genius. So they knew something was wrong the minute they were old enough to realize that they didn't have the same body from the waist lower. That was an awkward conversation.

Everyone in town has a feeling that those two will get together in the future. Even the parental thinks that might happen.

Anyways Eito started to cut the wood to start building the foundation for the tree house. While Jun cuts wood after wood and then using a nail and a hammer started to hammer the wood on the tree to make stairs.

It's been three whole hours since the started and they manage to get the wood for the wall and roof down. Jun suddenly realized he didn't hear the kids. Jun looked around, but he couldn't find them.

"Eito, where are the two mischief twins?" Eito looks at Jun before also looking around. This was bad, those two alone could be disastrous. Anything and everything can happen with, what was starting to look like, two child prodigies. They weren't one hundred percent sure that the kids were child prodigies, but it really did look like it. The two, like stated, were smart for their age. It wouldn't have been bad if one wasn't an inventor and the other wasn't a prankster. Those two combined was a recipe for disaster. A prankster and an inventor...The thought of those two alone and what they could be doing, plague the fathers. The fathers also prayed that they will find the two before the wives get home. They were grown men and didn't need to hear their wives nag about responsibility.

The two started to search the house, garden, and backyard. They finally found the two, much to their relief, underneath the cherry blossom tree, sleeping in each other arms. She was using his chest like a pillow while he had her arms protectively around her. The fathers, without waking the kids, pick their individual kid up and took the home, where they laid the two to rest together.

The fathers then went back out to finish the modeling of the tree house. Tomorrow they will paint and decorate until then they were just going to hit the hay. Well after their wives come home.


	4. Toshiro’s Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s Toshiro’s birthday.

Hana looked at the plate.

"Okay, omelet, check. Miso soup, check. Rice, check. Watermelon, check. Bread, check. Green tea, check. Okay, I have everything." Hana spoke while making sure she had everything.

For her, this day means a lot, it is the day of her son's birthday. Of course, it isn't going to be as big as the first birthday, but it was still going to be as important as the first. Grabbing the tray with everything, Hana made her way to her son's room. Sliding the door open she saw him sleeping while clutching the dragon she had gotten as a gift for him. The blanket he slept with was half on his body and half off. He didn't really appreciate the heat.

"Happy birthday, Toshiro." She started waking him up in the process. Toshiro woke up, yawning and rubbing her eyes. A huge grin appears and his dimples showed.

"Mommy" she smiled. It was amazing having someone who loves you, of course, her husband loves her, but its just different with a child.

"I made you your favorite breakfast." He looked at the food.

"Ah...ah... do your morning routine first." Hana slightly scold. He sighed but still did it. No point in arguing, you don't really win a fight with your mama and he won't get his favorite breakfast.

"Breakfast, please." He begs his mom with wide eyes that resembles a puppy begging.

"Sure thing, my snow prince." He smiled brightly, love and warmth in his eyes as both mother and child sat down and ate. Although the food was meant for him, he becomes upset when she refused to eat with him.

"Good morning birthday boy." A deep voice rang through the hall outside the door.

"Daddy!" Toshiro exclaimed before getting up and running to his dad. Immediately Jun lift his son over his head and pretend he was an airplane. Toshiro laughter was heard as Hana quickly takes a picture for the photo album she was creating. Memories were crucial and important to keep.

"Toshi, happy birthday." A sweet voice came, Mana. Her brown hair was tied back in a high ponytail with a purple bow on her hair. Her bangs fell over her right eyes. She wore a purple kimono dress with white tights and brown snow boots. She wore a white scarf and purple mittens. Mana also had a bag that had happy birthday written all over it.

"Mana!" Toshiro shouted before hugging his best friend in the entire world.

She giggled before hugging him back. The parents laughed. Just then Eito and Akane appeared. They were such good friends that they gave each other keys to the other. So they were always welcome.

"So birthday boy, why don't we go to the town and visit your grandmother," Hana suggested.

"Can Mana come?"

"If her parents are fine with it." Honestly, they were always fine, they trusted the other parents. Yet their children never catch on that fact. They will catch on eventually. Until then seeing the children beg always made their day. It is the fact that they just want to spend time together and the fact that the two kids doing the puppy eyes, just because they're scared that the parental will say no, was adorable. Okay, they shouldn't do this but how long will they beg for something.

"I don't know, Eito," Akane asked her husband.

"Pleeeeeaaasssssseeeeeeee!" Both kids beg with their eyes big and wide with hopefulness.

"It's fine." Eito finally spoke.

"Yes!" The kids shouted in excitement. The parents laughed causing the children to be confused.

"Is that my birthday present?" He asked.

"Yup, you'll get to open it later though." She said sticking out her tongue.

"Well, that's not fair." He pouted.

"Well, life isn't always fair." She retorted.

The parents slightly chuckled. Those two always fought, even when being playful.

Manami was the queen of not caring, if it is your birthday, you'll get it later was practically her motto. Although Toshiro was used to it.

"Okay, Toshiro, go get ready," Hana suggested.

An hour later

Hana was peacefully walking while the two children ran to the town.

"Slow down" Hana called out to them. Both managed to calm down and wait for Hana.

Hana sped up just so the children didn't have to wait too long. They were both super excited and calming down two excited children was much harder then it looks.

They finally arrived at her husband adopted mother's house.

"Grandma!" Toshiro yelled running up to the elder woman.

"Toshiro, my have you grown," Chika said hugging the young boy. Toshiro hugged his grandmother.

"Manami, how are you dear?" Chika asked the young girl.

"I'm dandy." She said. As she hugged Chika.

"Come you two." The two ran past Chika into the house.

"Hana, how are you?"

"Oh great."

"For the birthday boy, I made you some amanatto," Chika said.

"Yea!" Toshiro started to dig in.

"Toshiro! Be patient and don't forget to share with Mana." Hana kind of scold her son.

"Oh, let him eat dear. I made it especially for his birthday."

"Chika, you spoil him."

"Sweetie, I told you to call me mom and of course I spoil him he is my grandson. We spoil our grandkids." Chika said with a smile.

"Oh, and don't forget your present, Toshi." Chika kindly spoke as she went to retrieve his present. Toshiro grabs an amanatto and gave it to Mana who gladly took it. Chika came back with a nicely wrapped present.

"Here you go, honey." Chika gave him his present.

"Can I, mommy?" He asked with wide eyes.

"Go ahead, my little snow prince." Toshiro tore up the present. Excited to see what his grandmother gave him. A smile lit up his face as he manages to open the present.

"Thanks, grandma!"

"Oh your welcome, my dear."

"What did grandma give my little snow prince?" Hana asked.

Grabbing her camera, Toshiro showed her his gift. Origami kit.

"Smile." Toshiro smiled with his present.

"I can totally beat you in making origami, Mana." He said with a small smirk.

"Yea right. You couldn't, even if you tried." She retorted.

"Bring it on, crybaby."

"Oh, it's on, mama's boy."

"Hey take that back! Daddy's girl"

"Winter pain!"

"Snow White!"

"How dare you compare me to that....that being."

Toshiro stuck his tongue out.

"Oh, that's it!" Manami launched at him.

"Mommy!" Toshiro said hiding behind her.

"Scary cat." She said.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am I a scary cat, mommy?"

"No sweetie, you're my brave snow prince."

"Ha told you."

"She's only saying that because that's what you want to hear." Mana retorted.

Both Hana and Chika laughed. Both so competitive.

"Come on, let us go home. We have cake."

"Cool."

"Sweet"

"Bye, grandma!" Both kids yelled and hug the woman. Even though Chika was Toshiro's grandma, the elder woman allowed Manami to call her that. It doesn't matter anyway, she was going to be her future granddaughter in law. Hopefully.

The three walked back to the house. A party waited for their return.

Arriving home, the kids walked in.

"Surprise! Happy Birthday, Toshiro!" People yelled. The place was filled with all of their friends.

"Cool!" Toshiro exclaims.

A while later it was cake time. A cake with the number six candle came out.

"Make a wish, sweetie," Hana said.

Hana took a picture of her son blowing out the candles. Cutting the cake and giving it to the birthday boy and then the rest of the guest.

Mana came up behind the birthday boy and dunk his head on the cake that was on the plate that he was holding. Cake spatter all over Toshiro.

"Mana!" Mana giggled.

"What did I do?" She asked innocently. Hana laughed before snapping a pic of her cake face covered son.

"What do you mean, "what did I do"? Don't play innocent."

"Here you go, honey," Hana said giving him a napkin. After wiping the cake off his face with a napkin and getting another. It was time to open up presents.

"This gift is from Manami." Someone announced.

Toshiro opened the present to see a whole entire art kit. Smiling, he hugged her.

"Thanks, Mana. You're the best, even if you are a pest."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

She smiled.

"Happy birthday, little dragon."


	5. Snow In

The snowflakes swirled furiously in the blustering wind. Blankets of snow covered the once clear ground.

Indoors, a fire crackled before increasing slightly as more logs of the tree were added. The fire lit up the place while making the home toasty and warm. The aroma of hot cocoa filled the air.

Toshiro and Manami were building a blanket fort while their fathers made sure the fireplace was still going and their mothers cooked miso soup and made hot chocolate to keep warm during the blizzard that rage outside.

Manami giggled as she put a blanket on the sofa and chair. Toshiro did the other side while tying the blanket to the chair. Both of them grabbed a bunch of blanket for the bottom of their fort. The two placed them on the ground before sorting the blankets and pillows out to keep everyone comfortable. The parents went into the living room and smiled at their kids building a fort.

Manami then ran to the small playroom to grab the board games to play.

Laying the board games down and literally throwing herself next to Toshiro or at least tried to, instead she landed on the young boy who groaned in pain and threw her off of him.

"Ow! What was that for?" He exclaimed in pain.

"Sorry," she stuttered as she bends over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"You're fine, Angel."

She smiled at him before she laid down on his chest. Both of them admired the flames.

Hana put down the tray with the miso soup and hot chocolate on the small coffee table, they placed in front of the fireplace when it there is a blizzard outside. Blizzards don't happen a lot but when it does the two families got together and spend it in Hitsugaya's house. They rearranged the living space so that the sofa and table will be by or in front of the fire.

Hana smiled as the kids reached for the hot chocolate.

"Be careful, the hot chocolate is very hot," Akane warned.

The two kids blew the hot chocolate watching the hot chocolate blow in the direction of the small wind before going back to normal.

Mana took a sip of the hot chocolate.

"Thanks, Hana" she chimed.

"Yea, thanks, mommy" he beamed.

"Of course, my little snow prince." She beamed while kissing his temple.

"Momma's boy."

"Daddy's girl."

"This isn't over" she fumed.

"I think it is." He remarked back.

She crossed her arms while her smile turned into a scowl.

"Smile Mana." Her mother ordered.

"Why?" Manami whined.

"Because I love your smile." Her mother kindly spoke.

Manami smiled at her mother's words.

Toshiro hugged Mana.

"Thanks, I needed that."

"I know, you're welcome." He whispered in her ears.


	6. Happy New Years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> May you all have a wonderful New Year.

It was bright and early before the morning light. Toshiro and Mana were sitting on the roof, looking at the deep dark blue sky fill with color as the morning sun wakes up to greet everyone with brightness.

The sky turned yellow with pink and purple hue as the sun peaked over the mountain.

Mana gasp slightly at the beauty of the world. Toshiro just stared at her and smile. She was absolutely stunning in the morning light. Where did that come from? He did not think that....okay he did but in a platonic way and a relationship way.

"Isn't this beautiful Toshiro," Mana exclaimed.

"Yea, you're beautiful." He said in a daze.

"Huh?"

"I said it's beautiful."

"I know." She marveled.

The two stayed there even after the sun has set high in the sky. The parents watched the interaction before going inside to get out the food that they prepared in the span of three days for the first three days of New Year.

"Kids! Food!" Akane yelled. The two kids carefully climb down the tree to go inside to eat.

They all sat down and ate. The two finished early, so they both decided to go outside and hang out in the treehouse.

"We are going to visit your grandmother soon," Hana yelled after the kids.

"Yes!" The two cheered. Visiting Chika was always great especially this time around.

The two were in the treehouse hanging out. Their imagination gone wild. They were not in a treehouse but in a giant ship sailing in the mass ocean ahead. There they saw an island, where the treasure was. They were close to finding it when...

"Kids! Come on, we're going!" Hana's voice yelled distracted the two from their destined quest in finding the buried treasure. The kids got down from the treehouse.

"Don't give me those faces. We are going to see your grandmother." Hana scowled at seeing the kids face.

Toshiro and Manami grinned.

"Race you!" Manami yelled before running off to Chika house leaving Toshiro in the dust.

"Cheater!" He yelled back before running behind her.

"Kids!" Hana exclaimed but it was too late they were way too far now.

"We better hurry, we don't know what can happen with those two," Hana warned. Eito, Jun, and Akane agreed before picking up the pace to catch up with the kids. They get overly excited to see Chika.

Manami and Toshiro raced to Chika house. Chika was already outside waiting when the kids got there. Toshiro noticed Mana was slowing down. Toshiro then slowed down allowing Manami to go ahead of him.

"I win!" She cheered.

"Oh come on," Toshiro groaned hoping it sounded like he was upset. Mana took a deep breath trying to calm down and not spike her asthma.

"Thanks for letting me win." She said with a smile.

"you're welcome, angel," he said.

"Grandma!" Toshiro chimed. Chika embraced her grandson and Manami.

"Is good to see you" she kindly spoke.

"You too, Chika" Mana sang.

"Why are you singing?" Toshiro questioned.

"Why are you judging me?" She retaliated.

"I'm not judging you." He said in defense.

She smiled before jumping on Toshiro and hugging him.

"Mana!" He exclaimed as he was caught off guard.

"I love you snow prince." She said as she kissed him.

"Yuck," he blurted.

She frowned at his comment. He notices and immediately kissed her on the check. She smiled and Chika watched with a grin. Maybe she found her future granddaughter in law.

"Oh thank goodness, you're okay. How many times do I have to not to run off?" Akane said looking at her daughter with worry.

"Oh let them be, Akane." Chika reprimanded.

Akane shook her head. Chika always has to get involved in everything that involves the kids being reprimanded.

They all got together and had a meal, chatted, and laughed.

"Here you kids go," Chika spoke.

Chika gave the kids a colorful envelope with a drawing of several animals on it. Toshiro and Mana open the envelope and in there was several ¥100.

"Thank you" they cheered before hugging the woman.

"You are very welcome." She said kindly and sincerely.

"Come on, its almost midnight." They all got up and left the house to head to the temple to pray for the upcoming year.

They arrived at the temple to hear the bell being chimed a hundred and eight times. After that, people bowed respectably and prayed.

"Happy New Year." They all said to each other.


	7. Snowball Fight

Mana was building a snowman when all of sudden a ball of snow hit her in the back of her head.

She turns her head, giving her whiplash. She glared at the smirking boy. He smirked at her before giving her an innocent smile. Crossing her arms, she glared at her suppose best friend who has betrayed her by throwing a cold snow at her head.

"Toshiro, you jerk!" She screamed. Toshiro just smiled at her. She hated when he did that, hated even more, that she thought he was cute.

Toshiro kept looking at her as she angrily made a snowball and threw it at him. Toshiro moved out of the way before it hit him. Mana looked annoyed before she made another snowball and threw it, hitting him in the chest.

Toshiro didn't do anything just stand there and smirked. He sometimes does stuff that will push her button. Like throwing a snowball at her while building a snowman. It has been many years that they were together. For a while, Toshiro has a crush on her and he actually admitted it to his mother, who told him that he has a crush on her.

Toshiro made another snowball and threw it at her while looking away as if he was innocent. This complies Mana to do the same exact thing. Starting a snowball fight between the two.

Snowballs for flying back and forth. Either hitting their mark or missing there mark.

"Ha, you miss!" Mana exclaimed. Just then a snowball hit her right on her chest.

"You were saying." He sarcastic responded.

She huffed before throwing a snowball and hitting him on his shoulder.

"Got you." She taunted.

She looked away to make another snowball. He looked at her in a daze. Wondering why she was so beautiful. He snapped out of the daze by a snowball hitting his face. He felt a sting on his face before falling backward.

"Toshiro!" Mana yelled concerned before running up to the boy.

"Ow," he spoke.

"Sorry," she said. She then leaned in and kissed him on the same place the snowball hit him in. His face went red and she automatically thought it was because of the snowball.

"Come let us go inside," Mana said while lifting him up.

"I'm so sorry" she muttered the entire way.

"It's fine Mana, don't worry about it. Really," he reassured her.

"But..." she stutters.

"But nothing, sweets" he interrupted her before gently kissing her on her temple.

"I forgive, it was nothing but an accident. Okay." He told her. She smiled and they went home to drink hot chocolate and warm up by the fireplace.


	8. Happy Valentine's Day Birthday Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Manami birthday and she wants to go to the Valentine Day Festival, only to meet a familiar yet unfamiliar guest.

Mana woke up early in the morning. It was her birthday today and she was so excited. Glancing to her side she saw a gift. Grabbing the gift she saw a card.

"Happy birthday to such an amazing girl. Lots of Love, Toshiro" she smiled before blushing. Did he love her like her parents love each other?

She snapped to reality. No, you can't think of your best friend like that. They were just friends. He was saying that in a friendly way, not I wanna be with you kind of thing.

She decided to concentrate on the present. She tore it open to reveal a necklace. The necklace was an ice dragon carved into a stone, a jewel and key dangled below the stone. She smiled at the authenticity of the necklace.

"Do you like it," a voice spoke. She looked up to see Toshiro right in her doorway. Dressed in blue kimono that brought out his turquoise eyes.

"Yeah," she spoke, "I like it." She continues. He walked up to her bed and took the necklace before moving her hair and placing it on her neck. She looked down and smiled it was beautiful on her.

"How do I look?" She inquired.

"Stunning" he sincerely said.

She smiled before blush spread across her cheek.

"Something wrong, Angel?" He asked concerned seeing her red face.

"Um..." she stuttered trying to find an excusable reason why she was blushing.

Her parents showed up saving her from lying to her best friend in the world.

"Happy birthday, sweetie" her mother sang.

"Mommy, look what Toshi got me" Mana exclaimed. Akane looked down at what her daughter was emphasizing. She smiled while observing the necklace.

"Quite beautiful," her mother tender voice spoke.

"So what does the birthday girl want to do?" Her father boomed.

"I don't really know yet," Mana spoke.

"The princess is stumped, shocker." Toshiro remark.

"Shut it!" She hissed at him. Toshiro just rolled his eyes, crossed his arm and leaned against the wall with a smirk on his face. He loved seeing her riled up for no reason necessary.

"Sorry Yuki hime" he sincerely apologizes. She started to wonder if maybe he liked her too. Who was she kidding he always talked to her like that. It was one of the things that made her fell for him.

"How about we go to the Valentine Day festival?" She suggested. The Valentine Day festival was one of the few festivals held in the Rugon. The Valentine Day festival was for everyone alike: soul reaper, nobles, and regular souls.

"Of course, sweetie. Let us get you dressed up then" He mother kindly spoke while shooing the boys out her bedroom. After the boys left the room, Akane got to work. She picked out a blue dress. The dress was lace in the sleeve and upper chest with a few jewels over the dress and having two-layer on the bottom of the dress. She then took her daughter to the bathroom to wash her up. She quickly bathes her daughter then she preceded to wash her daughter's hair. After she helped her daughter put on the dress, then she put some of her daughter's hair in a small bun with a kanzashi over it while the rest of her hair was down.

"There all done." She smiled boldly. Mana looks at herself in the mirror and smiled. She always felt like a noble with her mother. The two exited the room causing the two males to pay attention. Toshiro couldn't believe how beautiful Mana looked. Sometimes he felt they were in two different social class. Like she was in a higher status than him, but he knew that wasn't the case.

"You look absolutely beautiful," he spoke with a look that can cause girls to be envious, wanting the same look too. Although most people knew that Toshiro and Mana had a thing for the other, now when the two will realize, that was the real question.

"Thanks," she mumbled trying to hide her blush. She couldn't afford him finding out and costing a long-lasting friendship.

"No mumbling," her mother scolded. Mana immediately straightens up.

"Sorry," she apologizes with confident.

"Shall we go," Toshiro nudge to the door with his head.

"Yea, let me get me flats," she spoke while getting her flats from the cubby.

The four of them left the house to head for the festival, where they were joined by Toshiro's parents who volunteer to help put the festival together.

People looked at Mana and started to whisper about her being a princess. With people pointing out her mother used to be one. Making Manami a princess, even then, she was fit to be one. Mana was graceful, beautiful, a natural leader, kind-hearted, caring, well mannered, sophisticated, and a fighter. Although there were those times where her personality traits were thrown out of the window and that's when she was with Toshiro. Toshiro was sweet, kind-hearted, caring, brave, fighter, stubborn, and a trickster. Even then they were liked in the Rukon.

Byakuya and his wife Hisana was walking around the Valentine Day festival. It was her idea to come, saying she always wanted to go to such a celebration. Byakuya was paying attention to his wife when he notices something, more like a group of small children that couldn't be no more than nine at the most.

"Yoshi, don't start with me," the girl said annoyed. Byakuya couldn't help but notice one of the girls was dress in a way that was typical in noble clans but not the slums of the Rukon. He would have thought she was a noble but he had never seen her before, which meant she wasn't a noble.

"Happy Birthday, Mana!" The children cheered as the young girl thanked them individually. He then saw someone he never thought he would see again, Akane Asakura, the first noble, of the Five Noble Clans, to marry a commoner. He obviously followed her lead by marrying a woman from the Rukon and he was like her in some way, love was love. Yet he hasn't seen her in years and part of him wondered what had happened to her since her banishment from her clan. Yet here she was right in front him.

"Kuya, something wrong?" his wife questioned him with concern.

"No, it's just that's Akane Asakura. She was part of the Takeda clan," he stated.

"You mean one of the five noble clans?" She asked. He nodded. There are five noble clans: There are five noble clans: The Minamoto Clan, The Kuchiki Clan, The Shihoin Clan, The Shiba Clan, and The Asakura Clan. The clans were ranked by the strongest to the weakest. The Minamoto Clan being the leader and advisor of all clans. They were the ones to do clan meeting, arrangement, and peace treaty within clans.

"Do you want to talk to her?" She asked before he answered her, she already dragged them to the group.

Akane felt someone else near them. She looked up to see the Byakuya Kuchiki and some lady with raven hair. She was surprised to see him after all these years. How long has it been since she seen him? Since she got pregnant with Mana which was about a hundred years ago.

"Byakuya, nice to see you again." Akane kindly spoke to her old friend.

"It's good to see you as well, Akane." He spoke with allure.

"I see you have a friend," Akane mentioned.

"No, this is my wife Hisana."

"Wife? Didn't know Byakuya-boy got married." She stated, using his old nickname.

The children watched with a confused look. How did Akane know a nobleman like Byakuya Kuchiki? Especially in his high status.

"Mommy, how do you know him?" Mana asked with curiosity shining in her eyes. Akane looked at her daughter with a bright smile.

"He's an old friend of mine back when I was in the Seretei," she spoke, hiding the truth from her daughter. What's the point when she can't go back? She wished things were different so that her daughter would have a family like Toshiro.

Byakuya looked at the girl, trying to hide the shock. That was Akane's daughter. Now that he realized she looked like Akane. So even with Akane no longer being a noble, she still treated her daughter as such.

"I didn't know you had a daughter" he spoke leveling off his voice with each word to make it seem professional. Then he mentally hit himself, Akane was pregnant around the time she left. 

"She just turned ten, today actually." Akane joyful said like a proud mom would be.

"If he's an old friend why didn't you mention this before?" A boy questioned. A boy with white hair and piercing turquoise eyes that questioned your movement if you even made one. He looked at the boy and felt like he was familiar in a way. If this was Akane's daughter, then what are the chances he was Hana's son?

"Curses, why does that boy have to be so smart?" Akane mumbled, worrying started to spread in her green eyes.

"Hey, there you guys are. Why do you keep disappearing on us?" A humorous voice rang out. He turned to see the one and only Hana Ukitake, Captain Ukitake's lovely daughter or the former captain of the tenth division before her retirement. Now the role was filled by Isshin Shiba, who was the second son of the former Shiba head, who was assassinated just three years prior.

"Byakuya? My goodness, it is you. Oh! Look how much you have grown! Oh, who is this lovely lady with you?" Hana marveled.

"His wife, Hisana," Akane answered.

"Married. My, it has been years then. Wait, I thought you were supposed to marry Yoruichi?" Hana questioned.

"I was, but she left the soul society to save Urahara after he used hollowification on several captains and lieutenants. " Byakuya explained.

"Kisuke? What?" Hana said astounded.

"Mom, please stop yelling, you're attracting too much attention," Toshiro complained while the other kids felt uncomfortable with the attention.

"Oh, Toshiro, you'll live." She sighed. So he was right, that was her son. The last time he saw him, he was a mere baby, now he was a child.

"While you guys have your reunion we'll be playing some games with the rest of the kids," Toshiro said before walking off.

"Oh, thank goodness, you came. Toshiro was being a smart alec again and questioning why I didn't mention Byakuya." Akane said in relief.

"You have to tell Mana eventually about her true origin," Hana scold her.

"Not until you tell your son you were a Captain of the Gotei 13." Akane sassed back.

"Fine, next week" Hana suggested.

"Next week," Akane said agreeing to Hana.

The four of them talked to each other while the children played. The mothers kept a close eye on the children while they played.

Manami birthday ended up a bunch of surprises. The most being, why didn't they mention Byakuya Kuchiki before this?


	9. The Arrival: A Past Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toshiro's birth is explained

"Captain Hana," a voice rang out, "are you okay?"

Most people called her by her given name to not confuse her with her adopted father.

Hana looked up and saw her lieutenant Isshin Shiba standing over her. She once again bends over, clutching her abdomen.

"Come on, you should go to the fourth." He suggested, worried about his captain.

"I'm fine." She winced.

Just then the pain increased. Her eyes screwed tight as the pain became unbearable.

"No, we're taking you to see Unohana." He said rejecting her latest "I'm fine."

Just then, Jun slide opens the door with concern. The lieutenant of the eighth division received a hell butterfly from Isshin Shiba telling him to come to his wife's office.

"Isshin, what's so urgent that you had to rip me from my duties. You know well..." Jun immediately stopped scolding Isshin when he saw his wife bending down and clutching her abdomen in pain. Her electric blue eyes were screwed tightly as the pain increased.

"Hana, darling, what's wrong?" He asked with concern.

"It...really...hurt." She winced in pain.

"Help me get her to the fourth." He told Isshin.

Isshin nodded before helping Jun get Hana to the fourth.

Akane just finished healing the latest injured soul reaper. She wrote down her observation and the healing process for Unohana.

Meanwhile, both Isshin and Jun help Hana to the fourth division. Everyone watch them and wondered what was wrong with Captain Hana.

"Hey what's wrong with Captain Hana?" Someone asked.

"I hope she's okay." Another said.

It didn't take long till everyone found out about Captain Hana.

Eito heard news about Hana and wonder what had happened to her. He heard that she was in the fourth, so he rushed to the fourth.

Akane just finished filing the papers. When Jun and Isshin rushed in with a very in pain Hana. She quickly rushed up to them feeling worried about her longtime friend. She tried not to put too much pressure on herself. She was due in less than two months.

"What's wrong?" She asked while quickly checking Hana.

"I don't know, she's been like that all morning," Isshin admitted.

"Yui get Unohana. Come on follow me to room 6." She commanded.

It took a couple of minutes for Unohana to come in by then she was in a fetal position.

"Hana, baby, it's going to be okay." Jun tried to reassure his wife. He looked at her seeing tears in the bream of her eyes.

"What's going on?" Unohana asked.

"We don't know," Jun said.

"Hana, where's the pain?" She asked.

"Abdomen..." Hana breathed out.

"Well, let us take a look." She said.

"I need you to clear the room, please." Unohana kind voice commanded.

They sat outside in the waiting room to hear the news. Jun told Kyoraku about his situation. Kyoraku understands and wishes Hana will get better.

Unohana left the room to see they were waiting outside.

"What's wrong with Hana?" Jun said concerned.

"It seems that Hana is in labor." She spoke.

"L-l-lay-labor?" Jun stuttered. "What do you mean Hana is in labor?" He exclaimed.

"It turns out she was pregnant and is now in labor. Want to see her, she's close to having the baby." Unohana spoke.

Jun couldn't believe what he just heard. Never in their marriage had they discussed kids. That was Eito and Akane wish, which they are finally getting their wish in less than two months. He wonders what will happen. They weren't even ready to have a child. Now they were thrust into parenthood without any knowledge on how to raise one.

Even then he followed Unohana to his wife's room. She was breathing calmly and harshly.

"Jun...." she whispered. "I am so sorry. I don't know what to do. This is so unexpected. I don't even know if I want to have this child." She sobbed.

"What? Hana...this is...yes unexpected but people will do anything for an opportunity like this. We can make this work. We can...just don't say that about our baby." He told her, not believing she would say that about their baby.

"Can we?" She asked with tears in her eyes. He couldn't believe that his strong, beautiful, and wonderful wife came undone by an extremely unexpected pregnancy.

"Yea. We totally got this." He agreed.

She smiled and couldn't believe what she was hearing. What did she do to get such a man?

"You ready to have a child," he asked.

"Do we have a choice?" She retorted. "Yea, we got this." She continued.

Eight hours later

Hana held a baby wrap in a green blanket and hat while watching the snowfall.

"The baby is a male born on Friday, December 20 at 6:30 pm, the baby weighs 3.2 kg (7 lbs) and the baby height 50.8 cm (1'8 ft)," Unohana told the lady to write down in the birth certificate.

"So what are you going to name him?" Unohana asked.

"Umm...Toshiro. I always loved that name." Hana said.

She looked down at her baby with snowy white hair and beautiful turquoise eyes. She smiled at her baby. He was unplanned but not a mistake.

She kissed his head as she cradled her baby close to her.

She spent ten minutes learning how to baby feed her newborn. It wasn't as easy as people make it out to be.

Jun stared at his wife and son with pride. His family was growing bigger by the minute. He couldn't wait to show his mom the new family member. She would be ecstatic, always wanting a grandchild.

"Sorry to disturb you two but you have visitors outside." Unohana softly told them. "Do you wish to allow them in or should I tell them to come another time?" She asked.

"You can let them come in," Hana said. As she covered her body with the blanket. Just then, the three came in, worried, it has been eight hours. Eight whole hours.

When they came in, they saw an exhausted Hana. In her arms was a small infant. The infant was fast asleep in the safety of his mother's arm.

"Hana!" Akane whispered yell. Hana looked at her longtime friend with a questioning look. 

"Aw, he's adorable." Akane continues as she glanced at the sleeping newborn. 

"Yeah, he is isn't he." Hana tried spoke. 

"When were you pregnant?" Eito asked confused.

"I really don't know. I think it was when we went to Oceanside Resort and had that very passionate night. I mean the two would correlate. Now that I'm thinking about." Hana spoke softly as not to wake the baby. 

"Right," Eito agreed. He wasn't shocked about the whole passionate night thing, it happens more than people would think. He just didn't understand how she didn't know it. Well, then again she could have one of those really calm pregnancies and she was extremely fit which could have hidden what would have been her baby bump. 

Isshin glanced at the baby wrap in a blue blanket. It felt strange because a day ago no one knew and then now. He had a feeling everything was going to change, well actually everything is going to change. 

"What's his name?" Isshin asked.

"Toshiro...Toshiro Hitsugaya." She paused before saying his name. Eventually, Unohana came in to tell them visiting hours were over and to come tomorrow. Bidding the growing family, they left to go home.

It wasn't long for people to find out about the unexpected news. By morning everyone found out about the new baby. People came by with gifts and to see the new baby, while there, they congratulated the new couple. Most time this wouldn't have mattered except for the fact this the first baby born to soul reapers parents for centuries (the last one was about four hundred years ago and one knew what happened to them) and it was also Hana. Well, some nobles became soul reaper and have kids, but it is kind of expected for them since they need an heir. 

"Where's this bundle of joy, I keeping hearing about?" a joyous voice rang out before Jushiro Ukitake appeared. Hana smiled, she was wondering when the man was going to visiting. The man, who had adopted her as his own. Hana didn't mind, as a small child, she had no parents to look up to, to care for her, to love her. She didn't get that until she met Jushiro Ukitake. She had a spiritual pressure of a Gotei 13 captain when she was a small child. The Head Captain had sent a team to investigate. The leader was Jushiro Ukitake. He had found the small child, who was almost starved. He gave her some snack he had with him and brought her to the Head Captain. She was far too young to go to the academy, being only nine. So with the Head Captain's permission, he adopted her and made her his daughter. He then trained the girl to control her powers and how to defend herself. 

"Oh, I was wondering when you were going pop by," she spoke. 

"I wouldn't miss this," Jushiro told her. As he looked at the young baby. He smiled.

"We're Shiro." He spoke with glee.

"I bought something. I saw this and immediately thought of you and I thought it would be a perfect gift for the new arrival." He beamed with enthusiasm. Putting the gift near her.

Hana glance at the gift, she had so many. Honestly, it was a help, since she didn't even have anything, to begin with. 

"Can you hold him?" she asked. 

"of course," he said taking the newborn.

Hana unwrapped the gift to see a box. She then proceeded to open the box to discover a stuffed plush. Not just any plush a baby dragon. The dragon was completely white except for the red eyes. She smiled, now she understands why Jushiro thought of her. Ever since a child she had been interested in dragons due to hearing a fairytale about one. 

"Oh, it's beautiful. I bet he will love it." She mused. Jushiro smiled. He never thought he will have a child, much less a grandchild. Since Hana married Jun, he always wanted a grandchild and now he had one. He declared that he will spoil the boy.


	10. Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toshiro's painfully realizes the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to do a little more backstory before I get to the plot, so it won't confuse readers.

How it started was still a mystery but it was how it ended that was prominent. 

It has been years since the events and he was now realizing the truth. Why it took him this long was the real question. He guessed Momo departure to the Academy made him realized. All those years of hopefulness were for nothing. Now he wishes he had ignorance so he didn't know the truth.

Toshiro thought long and hard on how the events started but he came out empty. He did remember everything else.

He remembers the pain that day. He wasn't hurt at least not physically. The emotional pain he felt that day was agonizing. He remembers his father jumping in front of him and taking the blow that ended his life. He shivered as he watched the life leave his father's eyes and strangled sob left him. 

He remembers staring at his father's lifeless body. His lifeless eyes staring at his soul made him feel bare. He felt even more naked even with his clothes as he stared at his father. His father who use to be full of life was nothing but a cold corpse he once knew. 

He remembers his mother collapsing on the ground in an agonized wail with a burst of energy that caused the place to be encased by ice. 

Ice he has never seen. Ice that was crystallized in a marvelous way. It had seemed like someone's grand masterpiece. 

The ice traveled all over and devoured every single life. He watches as time froze still and everything was decelerated. His innocent eyes caught the ice stilled people in place. 

He was hypnotized at the beauty the frozen people were. They all froze in different ways creating a sick and twisted illusion. He just didn't realize that the people were people he grew up with. He didn't realize that Juro, Yoshi, and Runa was three of the people who froze.

Toshiro didn't realize that his beloved mother had massacred innocent people in her grief-stricken condition. He was gullible and he still was. 

In his hypnotized, he heard voices and caught the silhouette of movement. The movement moved swifter than time itself. He then turns to his mother who was repeating the words "what have I done" over and over again. He didn't understand why his mother was so distress. He just knew she was. He watched her crawl to his father and cry out an apology like his father was able to hear. 

He remembers being surrounded by people wearing black attire. He remembers them take his mom. His remembers trying to reach out to his mother who was trying to do the same. Tears streaming from her eyes as the touch for a second before being pulled away from his mother. 

He remembers a friendly face asking him if he had a place to stay. He didn't realize that they had stolen his mother from him. He was too focused on the friendly face in front of him. He did hear his mother cry out his name and he almost turned that direction if it wasn't for the female in front of him taking a hold of his chin. He wondered why the female was holding his head in place. She gave him a smile and took his small hand in hers.

The young female took him home to pack. The female even helped him pack a bag for his grandma. The female look around the house while he packed his memories, toys, books, clothes, shoes, and some of his collection. 

He remembers asking where his mother was. He missed the pity look she gave him when he had asked that question. She instantly changed the topic and asked him about his collection. He told her with a bright smile about it. 

He remembers she took his hand and they walk carefully on the ice covered ground to his grandma. She knocked on the door and talk to his grandma for a few minutes. A young girl with pigtails approaches him. Told him that her name was Momo Hinamori. He had no idea that his grandma took in someone since the last time he had visited. 

He remembers the most prominent thing that happened that day was he never saw his mother again after that. He never got his mother tucking him in the night with a song or his mother making him breakfast in bed. He never got to see his mother cooking, sewing, or planting. He never got his mother reassurance again. He missed his mom being around especially since dad was now gone. 

He ran to his old childhood home that was no longer being occupied. The years of not being used shown. He walked in his old childhood home to see everything was still the same. 

He realized everyone leaves. Dad left. Mom left. Juro left. Yoshi left. Runa left. Momo left. It won't be long till granny leaves. Everyone leaves. For once Toshiro felt all alone. Abandon, unloved, forgotten. 

"Toshiro!" A shout broke the eerie silence. He turned to see the only thing that hasn't left him yet. She really was his angel.

"I saw you ran up here," she said as she cradles him. He just let her hold him as she sobs all of his pain. The pain of his father's death, the pain of his mother abandoning him, the pain of being friendless, the pain of the abuse he had to endure by the people, the pain of Momo's departure, the pain of every hopefulness years, and the pain he felt right now. 

All she did was lightly stroke his hair.


	11. Shin'o Academy

When that busty woman told him to join the academy to save his grandmother. He decided to join. He could at least try to prolong his grandmother's life so she won't leave him so soon. He told Mana of course and she decided to join along with him. 

The Academy was a blur for them until they met Kusaka. 

Currently, Mana was sitting down as she watches Toshiro and Kusaka clash swords. She noted the difference between them. Toshiro had white hair and turquoise eyes that she had long fallen in love with while Kusaka had black hair and violet eyes that she also loves. Not only are their looks different even their zanpakuto was different. Kusaka's sword has a dark red sheath while Toshiro's being dark blue. Not only that but Toshiro's blade is slightly longer than Kusaka. Kusaka guard rembles a flower while Toshiro's guard resembles a star. Also, Kusaka's dragon is purple while Toshiro's dragon is white-blue. Even though Kusaka's dragon is her favorite color she prefers the dragon from Toshiro's zanpakuto because it resembles more like ice than the purple.

Manami looks down at her newly acquired zanpakuto. She had just got it early that day and has yet to really train with it. The zanpakuto is called Akuaenjeru, which means aqua angel. The zanpakuto is Wakizashi that has a lavender hilt with a vaguely diamond pattern on the long sides and a hexagon guard.

Mana stared at the zanpakuto before thinking it was ironic that the nickname that Toshiro gave her was Angel and her zanpakuto was an angel while Toshiro's zanpakuto was a dragon and his nickname she gave him was Lil Dragon.

Both Toshiro and Kusaka agree to end the training. 

"Till next time," Kusaka asked. 

Hitsugaya gave him one of those small smiles, "till next time."

Kusaka watches him walk towards Manami Takeda. The most beautiful girl he had ever lay his eyes on. Maybe not the most beautiful girl he had seen but Histugaya had her so he wanted her. Why he wanted everything Histugaya had was the question he asked himself multiple times. Why does it matter that he was better than him? 

He wanted to be the best soul reaper and he hated that Toshiro was better than him. He was using this to his advantage. He can learn to become the best by the best himself.

"Done already," she chirps as she saw Toshiro approach her.

"All done," he told her as he helps her off the ground. Mana started to dust the dirt from her uniform. He then takes her to her dorm before going to his own dorm.

The next day, Mana was walking to class when she bumps into Kusaka.

"Oh, hiya," she spoke. 

"Hey, I was wondering if you wanna walk to class together?" Kusaka said. 

"Sure," she agreed. For a while, neither of them spoke as they walk to class.

"So, what is your relationship with Hitsugaya?" He finally asks her.

"We're just friends," Mana told him, "Why did he say anything?" She asked with a red tint on her cheeks. She easy hid her blushing face with her bangs and her hands.

It was messed up that she had fallen for her longtime best friend. She will probably be friend-zoned if he found out. 

Kusaka glared, so she does love him. How can he not notice that? What kind of genius is he? Everyone else can see that she loves him. Then again, everyone including him can see that he express the same feelings.

"No, I just thought there was more," Kusaka reassure her.

"No, not at all," she nervously told him. 

The two arrived to class to see Toshiro already there. She took her seat in front of him while he took the seat beside them. She turns around and started to converse with him in hush tones. She giggled over something he had said. 

Class went by smoothly with him still the best, but Kusaka almost did it. He almost beat Hitsugaya. He just needed more training with him and he can surpass him. He can be the best.

That never happens because the same afternoon Central 46 had made them fight. Kusaka died that exact day.

Toshiro went to Mana's dorm room. He taps on the window since guys were not allowed to be in the girls' dorm. She opens the window to see Toshiro. 

"What are you doing here? It is eleven..." the minute she took a long at Toshiro's face she stops mid-sentence. 

"What happened?" She asked as he ushers him in. Thanking God, that her roommate was visiting family and won't be back till tomorrow.

"I'm not sure. Central 46 said we can't have the same zanpakuto and we should fight for it. I try to avoid the fight but they wouldn't let me," Toshiro dumbfounded told her.

"What fight?" she persists on.

"It was the fight to the death," he told her.

Mana didn't need to be told what the outcome was. If Toshiro was still here then that means Kusaka was dead.

"Oh, Toshiro..." she gasps out as she hugs him allowing him to cry. 

"I just killed someone," Toshiro numbly spoke.

"No, you didn't have a choice," she told him.

"What happened?" She asked again, trying to get the bottom of the events. 

"I don't know he raised his zanpakuto to me and I defended myself. Next thing, I know I am being held down by these people and I watch them kill him. I don't understand, they said it was a fight for the death. We were supposed to fight for it and yet we didn't even get to finish. It was over before it even happens," Toshiro confessed.

"Toshiro, don't you see. You're blinded by grief," she sighed.

"What don't I see," he questions.

"I think it was a test to see who will raise the sword first," she calmly explains. 

"It still isn't fair," Toshiro sob out. 

Both of them laid in her bed while he cried and she comforts until exhaustion took over.


	12. A New Member

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rangiku wants to know who the new third seat is but this encounter was not what she was expecting.

"Captain Unohana, I heard you wanted to see me," Manami spoke up as she enters her captain's office.

"Ah, yes. Come in," Captain Unohana brightly spoke. Manami bowed out of respect for her captain. 

"Is something wrong?" Manami asked. 

"No, nothing is wrong. I just want to tell you about the promotion in person," Captain Unohana told her.

"What promotion," she asked.

"Tomorrow you will be the third seat for the Tenth Division," she said. Manami bites her lip in a nervous habit. She didn't know anyone outside her division, so leaving her comfort zone was a big leap on second thought she would be three ranks higher than her current position. 

"Don't worry, the lieutenant is a woman with a heart of gold and the captain might come as cold but he is actually quite sweet and both of them together makes great leaders," Captain Unohana reassured.

"Do you think I can do it?" she asked.

"I offer you to the captain personally because I knew you can do it," Unohana told her. Captain Unohana had offered her personally. Mana was determined to prove that her captain was correct.

"You have the rest of the day off to pack and get ready for your new division," Unohana told her.

"Thank you, Captain Unohana," she said bowing. Manami left her captain's (well former captain now) office. She decided she was going to walk a little bit to wrap her mind what was going on. By the time the sun was setting, Manami went straight to her room to pack. She looks around her barrack and immediately sighed. Why did she have so many stuff? 

By the time she finished, it was already nightfall. She cooked her last meal in her barrack tomorrow will be a meal in a new barrack. 

Rangiku was leaning on her captain as he talked to a newly released Momo. Rangiku couldn't help but notice the tension in the air. Rangiku would never admit that she hated how Momo treated him. After all this time, she was still referring to him like he was a child. It has been two months since the three captains have betrayed and she was trying to convince him to save Aizen. Rangiku had to refrain herself from clutching her fist and gritting her teeth as she kept hearing the conversation.

"Hey, Toshiro! Rangiku!" Rangiku turned to see Ichigo, Orihime, Rukia, and Renji approach them. The temperature drops a little as he also turns to scold Ichigo on his disrespect.

"Idiot, look out," instead were the words her captain use. Rangiku was shocked at the words and look back in time to see Ichigo run into a young girl. The two crashed to the ground with Ichigo on top of her. Ichigo immediately scrammed of her in such a speed. Rangiku chuckle Ichigo was always awkward with females for some reason, he claims it is out of respect but she didn't think it was because of that.

They all ran to the group as Ichigo held out his hand and help her up.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't see you," Ichigo spoke sheepishly. 

"Way to go, if you were looking that would have never happened," Rukia scolds him.

"I said I was sorry," he groaned.

"It's fine, really," she said. 

Rangiku looks at her not knowing who she was. Rangiku was certain that she has not seen her before.

"Mana! Are you okay?" Rangiku heard behind them as she saw Rei Shimizu run up to them.

"Yea."

"Mana?" Her captain asked.

"Oh! Captain, there you are. I was looking for you to let you know the new third seat was here but I couldn't find you," Rei told him. In the background, she can hear Renji and Rukia gaining up on Ichigo for not watching where they were going while the new third seat tries to convince the two that it wasn't a big deal.

Rangiku immediately became excited. She had always wonder who the new third seat was but even her captain didn't know. Turns out, her captain was talking to Unohana about needing someone in that position so they wouldn't have a ton of paperwork when they go to Karakura Town for missions. Unohana told him, she knew several people who would be assets and would need to narrow it done. 

Rangiku turns back to the girl to get a good look at her. She saw the girl has long hair that reaches her waist and was in a half up and half down hairstyle. She was wearing a shirt that sleeves were hugging her arm, a mini skirt, black boots, wrist length white fingerless gloves, and a purple obi around her waist with her zanpakuto in the back like how she wears her own zanpakuto. 

Even then, her captain still had a dumbfounded look. Rangiku wonders if he was registering anything Rei said. 

"Are you okay, sir?" Rei asked.

"I'm sorry. I was thinking about Angel." Rangiku was confused. Why was her captain thinking of an angel?

"You were thinking about an angel?" Rangiku asked.

"Not an angel. Angel," her captain said because that was less confusing. Mana froze as she heard Angel. She hasn't heard that in years. She turns around to see a familiar set of white hair and she was shocked. She hasn't really seen Toshiro since they graduated and went to different divisions. They were good at hanging out the first year but by the second year they hardly saw each other and by the time the second year ended they haven't spoken in months.

"Toshiro!" Toshiro turns around and what he saw wasn't what he expected. He could help but notice how much she has changed during the years of absence. The most notable change was her hair and how curvy she has gotten. The years have been kind to her turning her into a stunning woman. 

"I had a feeling it was you," he spoke out.

"Did you now?"

"Well, you're the first one that came in my head when I heard Mana, so."

"I'm flatter."

"It's been a while."

"Twenty-five years, but who's counting."

"Always were the counter," he comments.

"Can't help it."

"You changed a lot. Since when did you dye your hair red?"

"I didn't dye it. I highlight it red and yes there is a difference and no this isn't a debate."

"Debate?" Renji asked.

"Yes, this boy will debate about everything. Seriously, we had a debate that lasted thirty minutes over the difference between scrunchy and hair tie."

"They are the same thing," Toshiro yelled in frustration.

"No, they are not. One of them is thick, has fabric, and its elastic while the other is smaller, can be thin or slightly thick, and it is really elastic when you overuse it. See two different thing," she concluded.

"Still the same thing," Toshiro concluded.

"Yea, I agree," Renji said with Ichigo nodding his head.

"No, they are not!" The girls all yelled.

"Whatever. I am not arguing over this. It was stupid back then and it is even more stupid now," her captain said. 

"I'm not the only one who changed, you have gotten taller and your hair got longer. You need a haircut," she said as she ran a hand through his hair. 

"You have gotten taller too and I haven't had time to do that," he mumbled.

"Want me to do it for you? I still got that stuff," she told him.

"Sure, if your offering," he said as he notices something shiny hanging from her ears. He looked closely to see it was a small silver hoop earrings. "You also got your ears pierced?" 

"Oh yeah, I was going to get a piercing for my nose but I coward out and got my ears pierced instead."

"Good thing too," he joked. She nodded her head in agreement. 

"Still, wear the necklace I see," he noted.

"It's my favorite because my favorite person gave it to me," she told him with pure genuine.

"I'm your favorite?" 

"Of course." She gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Well, I have to finish this tour but after I'll cut your hair." She said as she skips away dragging a shock Rei.

Everyone was staring while the captain's face became bright red as he touches the spot where she pecked him with a small smile. The young captain then rushes to the safety of his office. 

"Great, people will talk now," Toshiro groaned.

"What was that?" Ichigo asked in a daze.

"I think my captain has a crush!" Rangiku squealed, "Oh! I need to know everything about her especially how they met," she continues.

"They met in the Rukon," Momo voiced out loud. Rangiku forgot that she was here.

"I don't know when they actually met but when I came to visit she was there with him," Momo told them. Momo felt the same jealousy that she felt that day she caught the two hanging out.

"I'm gonna ask my captain, later." Rangiku happily prances to the office.

"Oh, Captain! Who's the girl your crushing on?" She asked really boldly. The captain looks up at Rangiku who had Ichimaru's grin plastered on her face.

"I don't have a crush on her and she is an old friend of mine," he told her as he continues the paperwork.

"If you don't have a crush on her, why were you blushing?" 

"It caught me by surprise."

"Why did he touch your cheek and smile?"

"Get out!" Both his voice and the temperature drop with each word as he pointed at the door.

"You know, having a crush on someone isn't bad," she meekly spoke. Her captain glared but she knew he was defeated.

"What so bad about having a crush on her?" she asked.

"I could never get the words out. Besides she only sees me as a friend."

"We're going to change that."

"We are going to do the piles of paperwork that should have been turned in a long time ago," he informed her.

"Nah." Rangiku took her captain's hand and forcibly drag her captain to her quarters.

"All right, how to get a girl..."

"Matsumoto, we do not have time for this. We have a lot of work to do and we are not meddling with my nonexistence love life."

"Always about work. It will be there tomorrow. Your chances of getting her are slim. I mean, did you see how the guys look at her?"

"What do you mean? What guys?"

"The guys practically drooling over her. I mean she is quite beautiful." 

"You can help me get her, right?" He mumbles while fidgeting.

"Of course, but you got to listen."

He sighed. "Fine"

"Yay! Well, first I need to know stuff about her..."


	13. I Think I'm In Love With An Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or the many first recounted by Toshiro.

The first time he called her Angel it was after he heard about angels. The entire time his mother told him about angel all he could think about was her. So when he saw her again he called her Angel. She looked at him with confusion and he had to explain why he called her that. When he finished his explanation she blushed and kissed him on the cheek. It was then he realized she was his angel. 

The first time he really notices her was after he had made her a flower crown. They were in a flower field and his mother had taught him to make a flower crown a while back. He started making her a flower crown. It took him at least fifteen minutes to make it but the outcome was worth it. He turned to her and showed her the flower crown. She looked at it with astonishment before giving one her dazed smile. He proceeds to put the flower crown on her head while she looked down with a blush. When he back away from her, he was instantly caught off guard by how beautiful she looked in the sunlight. 

The first time he thought she was stunning was when they were watching the sunrise on New Years. She was stunning in the morning light. That was the first time he realized you shouldn't think that way about his best friend. 

The first time he finally acknowledges his feelings he had told his mother. His mother smiled and ask what he likes about her. He answered by naming everything he likes about her. He likes the way her eyes light up when she gets excited or when her hair blows in the wind. He also likes it when she gets super excited and rants to him. He likes it when she hugs or touches him because he always gets a tingly feeling. He likes it when he has her undivided attention. His mother laughs and told him that he had feelings for her. He denied it because he shouldn't feel like that for his best friend. It wasn't long until he admitted to his mother that he did indeed have a crush on her.

The first time he blushed it was after she kissed him. They were having a snowball fight. He got distracted from her beauty and she accidentally hit in the face with a snowball. The snowball stung on his face and he fell back on the snow. She rushed to him to see if he was okay. He had told her he was and not to worry. She then kissed him and his face turned red. 

The first time he tried so hard to impress her was when he wanted to get her present for her birthday. He went to town with his parents two days prior to her birthday. He looked everywhere but he couldn't find the perfect present. He wandered through the stores looking for the perfect gift. He kept searching when he found himself in front of a jewelry store that homemade every jewelry. It was the same jewelry store that his dad has gotten his mother a necklace on the anniversary. He walked in thinking this was a great place to get a present. He looked around the jewelry store. His eyes widen when he saw a beautiful stone necklace. The necklace was blue with a carving of an ice dragon. Underneath the stone is a blue jewel and underneath that was a silver key. He knew this was the perfect present because she gave him the nickname lil dragon. It was because he was little and he had an obsession with dragons (it was his mom's fault). He had to get this for her. He just had to. He begged his parents to buy it and when they bought it he couldn't wait to give it to her. He can already tell she will be beautiful with it on her. 

The first time he notices she might be out of his league was on her actual birthday. She looked like a princess with her blue that was lace in the sleeve and upper chest with a few jewels over the dress and having two-layer on the bottom of the dress and her hair in a small bun with a kanzashi over it while the rest of her hair was down. She looked absolutely stunning. He couldn't help but stare at her beauty and wished he can have her. 

The first time he held her hand was during the cherry blossom bloom. He took her hand to drag her to where their parents were. When they finally got he didn't let go of her hand and she didn't comment on it or move her hand away. Neither of them minded holding hands. It wasn't until their parents comment on it that they realized what they were doing. They both blush and let go of each other hands. Both were disappointed and their hands felt colder.

The first time they danced he was the one who asked her. It was during a party that his parents were throwing. There were people dancing on the dance floor while she was sitting down. She kept looking at the dance floor with a longing look like she was waiting for someone to whisk her into a dance. He watched her with a frown as he saw her sigh in despair. He got up from his seat and held his hand to her. She looked at him with a puzzled look as she took his hand. He leads her to the dance floor. People stopped dancing as they watched the two gracefully dance across the floor. 

The first time he realizes she was his world was when he finally came up with the conclusion that everyone left. She was the only one who hasn't left so far and he was grateful. He needed her in his life and he just couldn't live without. He figures that out when she was holding him and he was sobbing on her and yet she didn't care. 

The first time they kissed it was when he wanted to bake Momo a peach cake for her graduation party. He was going to start baking when he realized he didn't know anything about baking. He went to her house to convince her to help him bake. She took his hand and lead him back to the house. They started to work on baking the cake. Once the cake was in the oven he leans to gave her a kiss on the cheek as he thanks her. She turned her head the exact same time and their lips met. They pulled away instantly and mutter an apology. They decided it was best to forget the kiss ever happen except it was always on their mind. They just refuse to tell the other. 

The first time he fought someone it was for her honor. A guy had the nerve to touch her without her consent. It was after class and she was heading home and he just so happen to be there to witness the heinous act. He watched as a group of guys their age approaches her. What looks like the leader of the group went up to her and grope her growing breast and honked. The guys with him burst out laughing as she looked horrified and tears gather in her eyes as her body was violated. He clenched his fist as stalked towards them. When he got there he punched the leader in the face so hard it broke his nose and falling to the ground. He looked at Toshiro in shock as he had never punched him even when he bullied him. The group also looked shocked before attacking him. He fought back to protect her honor. When he won the fight he threatened them to make sure they never lay a hand on her again. She looked at him in shock and then look at the group all groaning in pain and bleeding. He took her hand and brought her home. After that, he walked her everywhere and everyone feared him even more. He did beat the most popular group and best martial artists in the town. 

The first time he heard people asking if they were dating was in the academy. They couldn't hang out for more than a few minutes before people started asking them if they were dating. Both of them well look away with a blush tainted on their face and stutter out that they were just friends. Everyone in the academy gave them a questioning look but just let it go while muttering that they totally like each other.

The first time he realized he fell to deep in loving her was after seeing her fight. She was training with her roommate when he walked upon them. He stopped on his tracks and watched her train. He watched her glide gracefully across the training hall they were in. It looked like she was dancing instead of fighting. He watched her with a longing look and a goofy smile on his face when Kusaka showed up out of nowhere and scared him. The two girls turn to their direction to what the commotion was and saw the two boys. 

The first time he missed her was when his captain disappears and he needed someone to talk to. They haven't seen each other since they both graduate from the academy and went different ways. 

The first time he told someone other than his mother about his crush on her. He told his lieutenant when she kept prying. It was after seeing her for the first time in twenty-five years. He felt better to reveal to someone else of his crush and even better he might have a chance at winning her heart with his lieutenant help. He told his lieutenant everything he knew about her in hopes of finally getting her. It is going to be hard to let someone else take control of his love life but so far he wasn't doing well. So here he was right now listening to his lieutenant as she gave him ideas on what she thought was a perfect date according to the things he has told her.


	14. A Hang Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wouldn't really consider this a hang out but I got nothing else.

Rei was still in shock as she was dragged through the tenth division. It wasn't her fault she never seen her captain's entire face turn red before or someone actually kissing the captain and not suffering the consequences. She finally snapped out of her shock daze.

"So, what was that up?" Rei pry.

"What was what about?" Mana asks. 

"That with the captain?" Mana look at her with questioning eyes.

"What do you mean?" she asked as she took in the garden. Toshiro always seems to have a garden of some sort. It was mostly because of his mother and grandmother were always planting plants. The garden was beautiful there were flowers of every kind. She smiled as she leans in to smell the flowers; the smell of the flower aroused her senses. She grinned as she watches the water flow from the fountain in the middle. She had a feeling that the fountain was Toshiro's. It had his name written all over it.

Rei watches the new recruit in an amazement. It wasn't every day she met someone who can make the captain act like that. She knew the captain since before he was captain and she never seen him like that before. But seeing her now, she can tell why. The girl was actually quite beautiful for her age and she was one of the few people who were in his age group. 

"I mean, you are the only one who kissed the captain and not suffers the consequences for it," she told her.

"Oh, I always kiss him on the cheek," she told her as she sat on the edge of the fountain. She ran her hands in the water. She smiled as she ran her hands through her element. She felt so in tune with the water. 

"Really?" Rei joined next to her.

"Yea, back when we were children," she kept gently stroking the water with a relaxed smile on her face. Her hands glided through the water lightly causing ripples. 

"So, how did you two meet?" Rei pry curious in knowing when they met. She had no idea there was someone beside Momo that knew him as a child.

"Huh? Oh, I don't know. We just always knew each other," Mana said in a daze, recalling all the things they been through. 

Rei question how she didn't know how they met. It just didn't make sense how she didn't know but she didn't pry on. Rei wanted to but knew it was best not. 

"Well, shall we go," Mana got up and started to depart. She turns around to see if Rei was coming. She happily skips back to the office to start on work. 

Toshiro and Rangiku finished discussing and were currently heading back to the office. The two ran into the captain's crush herself.

"Hiya, Toshi!" she happily greeted like they haven't seen each other at all. 

"Angel," the captain smirk.

"Whatcha doing?" She question.

"About to do work."

"Really, same."

Rangiku smirk as she thought of a good plan. 

"Well, captain I have important things to do," she told her captain as she made a beeline away from them.

"Wait a second. You have work to do. Matsumoto!" It was already too late, his lieutenant already disappeared around the corner. Toshiro groaned and mumbled under his breath. Everyone around them was watching everything unfold. 

"Well then" Mana stated. "Is she always like that?" 

"Every day. It's why I don't have a third seat who will stay," he told her.

"Well, I'm here. Come on," She took his hand in hers and walk with him to the office. Toshiro glanced at their hands. It wasn't anything special, they held hands a bunch of times as kids. It was a way to stay together during crowded places.

Everyone else watching was astonished. She kissed him and held his hands and he was indifferent about it. If it was anyone else they will be dealing with his humongous wrath. 

"Who is she?" Renji asked.

Momo watched hem go with a little bit of jealousy coursing in her veins. She really didn't have anything to be jealous of. She was the one who drove her best friend away. 

In the office, the two were busy doing work in silence. They were working hard with no interruption so they were able to finish by the time the sunset.

"So, are we doing the haircut thing?" she asked while stretching. She wasn't going to lie that was a lot of paperwork and most of them were from Rangiku. 

"If you want to," he shrugs. 

"I'll get the stuff and we will do it in your place," she suggested. Toshiro nodded in agreement. The two best friends walk to her place to get the stuff she needed and walk to his place. 

When they got to his place, she notices the garden outside the house. She looks around as much as the light around the pathway will allow her. Her eyes lit up as she caught a section of camellia. They were absolutely her favorite flower. He unlocks his door and the step aside to let her go first. When she entered, she felt something nudging her. She looks down to see a red Shiba Inu puppy.

"Hi, Miki, did you miss me?" The dog whine as she inches closer to Toshiro while pawing his leg.

Mana couldn't help squeal as she looks at the cute puppy. She bends down and started to pet the dog. The dog became excited and started to or try to jump on her. 

"Of course, you will have a pet," she smiled brightly at him. Toshiro couldn't help but chuckle. It was a fact that animals especially abandon were his weakness. That was how he had acquired the dog in the first place.

He cooked them dinner and they ate before they got to what she came here for. Once he cleaned up everything, he sat patiently in a chair while she got ready. She took out the scissors and a comb. She proceeded to cut his hair while they made conversation over the past missed years.

It took her at least thirty minutes to do his hair since she kept getting distracted it was Toshiro's fault and not because she was staring at him a little too long. At this point, Toshiro's hair was shorter and straighter at the top with a few hairs still defying gravity. He looks at himself in the mirror and he couldn't believe the changes. She was always good at doing his hair for unknown reasons. The two decided to chat a little longer so they were both currently sitting on the couch and chatting.

"Trust me, Matsumoto will do anything to get out of work. There was this one time..." Toshiro trailed off as he turns back to see Angel fast asleep on the couch. Toshiro chuckle, she was still an early sleeper. They were the total opposite, she fell asleep early and woke up late while he fell asleep late and woke up early. He got up from his spot and pick her up bridal style. He took her to the guest bedroom. Setting her down on the bed, he took the blanket and cover her up. He leaned down and kissed her on her forehead. 

"Sweet dreams, Angel."

Toshiro then went to his room to retire for the night. He took a shower while Miki got comfortable on the floor. He brushed his teeth while glancing at Miki who kept staring at him. He finished up in his bathroom and walk out. He leaned down to pick up Miki since she has trouble getting on his bed. He had a while ago switch the futon for an actual bed and Miki couldn't get on it. He got in bed and he was asleep the minute he laid down.


End file.
